Just 1.7 per cent of population are LGB, official statistics reveal

The figures are drawn from the Annual Population Survey, which questions over 300,000 people per year.

Official figures have revealed that just 1.7 per cent of the UK population are lesbian, gay or bisexual.

The Christian Institute said the figures will lead people to question a disproportionate focus on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexualism (LGBT) issues by the media and Government.

The 2015 figures, compiled by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), show a 0.1 per cent increase from the previous year.

Questioned

The statistics are drawn from the Annual Population Survey, which questions over 300,000 people per year.

It found that more men identified as LGB than women: 2 per cent compared to 1.5 per cent.

The vast majority of the UK, 93.7 per cent, said they were heterosexual with the remainder selecting “other”, “don’t know” or opting not to respond.

Separately, the number of people who have been issued with a Gender Recognition Certificate since the 2004 Act allowing them to change their legal birth sex is less than 4,500 – around 0.007 per cent of the UK population.

Media

Simon Calvert, Deputy Director of The Christian Institute, pointed out that the ONS’ figures have consistently shown low numbers of LGB people.

He drew attention to the platform given to LGB and T issues by the media and the Government, and said that people will now start to examine that focus.

“The publication of these figures make the general public question the agenda of scriptwriters who populate their storylines with disproportionate numbers of LGBT characters.

“It also makes them question the priorities of politicians who give such prominence to LGBT issues in education and elsewhere.”

‘Outside binaries’

Earlier this year it was revealed that BBC bosses had pledged to ensure that eight per cent of its staff are LGBT.

In its Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2016-20, the BBC states that it wants around one in thirteen of its staff to be lesbian, gay, bisexual or transsexual by the end of the decade.

Homosexual lobby group Stonewall expressed disappointment that the latest ONS figures did not include people who “identify outside of the binaries of lesbian, gay and bi”.

Anonymity

The ONS, explaining how it conducted its survey, said that the question on sexual identity was only asked to people aged 16 and over.

It also noted that it took care to maintain anonymity and provides the “other” option for people who do not consider themselves lesbian, gay or bisexual.